US MISSION ALERT! - A Record 56 Million Americans Report No Religious Affiliation

[James Nored]

New analysis of data from the 2014 General Social Survey came out recently, and according reports, there are a record 56 MILLION people who do not affiliate with any religion in the US falling into the "none" category for religious affiliation. This data confirms the data from the 2012 Pew Forum Report, which the book "The Rise of the Nones": Understanding and Reaching the Religiously... seeks to respond to, which I will have a review of soon.

Religion Dispatches draws this data from the report 2014 General Social Survey report:

• Nearly one-fifth of the U.S. population (19.6%) is religiously unaffiliated—the highest percentage tracked in Pew polling;
• While Nones are most likely to be found among Millennials (32%), GenXers (21%) and Baby Boomers (15%) have likewise grown among the population of Nones;
• Fewer than half (48%) of American adults say they are Protestant—the first time self-identified Protestants have fallen below 50% in Pew surveys;
• More than two-thirds of Nones (68%) believe in God, with more than half (51%) praying on a regular basis;
• Two-thirds of those surveyed (66%) say religion is losing its influence in American life, with more than half citing an excessive focus on rules (51%) and an inappropriate concern with money and power (51%).

While secularists celebrate this and conservatives like David Brooks are alarmed, for Christians, this is not about politics. This should be about the gospel, and should serve as a a wake up call for Christ followers. The US has for many years been ranked the 5th largest mission field in the world well before this report came out. Will this report--and the accelerating trend of secularism in particular among young adults (our kids and grandkids)--spur us out of complacency?

What implications does this report have for Christians and churches? Note these three things:

1. A higher percentage of church budgets needs to be allocated towards local evangelism that goes beyond just meeting physical needs.
   
   Most local outreach budgets are woefully underfunded, and just increasing these budgets would be a great step in most churches. But in those church that with outreach budgets that are well, the dollars tend to go almost all oversea, and for local outreach, tend to go primarily towards meeting physcial needs. Meeting physical needs is a part of our call as a church and is viewed as a sign of authenticity by seekers--particularly Millennials--and I have long called for the church to have this as part of their witness. However, priority needs to be given towards ministries that are holistic and go beyond just meeting physical needs and actually result in sharing the gospel and converting people to Christ. (Note the Seek, Serve, Share strategy on this site)
   
   While churches who are serving their community are to be commended, unfortunately, the "serve" part of an outreach strategy often continues to just get ramped up (feed more, cloth more, etc.), while the "seek" and "share (the good news)" often get neglected. Taken to the extreme, the church becomes little more than the Red Cross in this scenario--doing good deeds, but not telling people about Christ. And the reality is that if a church only serves those who are distant from them socio-economically and does not serve in a way that builds relationships with people, sharing the gospel is extremely difficult. However, one can often call seekers to serve the poor alongside Christians, and then share the gospel with those seekers who are serving.
   
   If we are to reach people for Christ, we must do more than meet physical needs, as important as this is.
2. More church resources (time, money, effort) must be devoted to relational outreach/community presence, evangelism training, social media and video outreach, and prayer for the lost. 
   Churches need to build an ongoing presence in the community that helps members relationally connect to people. That is a different approach than just a once or twice a year event. What might this look like?
   
   "Missional communities" that have a weekly presence serving at a day care center or a soccer community each weekend? How about regular training on how to share one's faith?  How about a $30,000-50,000 per year social media strategy that engages people where they are, builds relationships, and helps share the gospel?
   
   What about ministers, elders, and ministry leaders all working together to put people in groups of 3-4 people who seek to live out the life of Jesus each week with weekly missional practices? How about a lifting up prayer for the lost BY NAME in small groups each week, in each staff meeting and elders' meeting?
   
   If we are to reverse the current trend in the US, then we cannot do evangelism on the side--one of many ministries. We MUST be a people who are fundamentally on mission, reorienting EVERYTHING that we do!
   
   
3. US Churches need to engage in more local church planting. Church planting is one of the most effective evangelistic "methods" that there is, and newer churches have shown themselves to be far more effective in reaching people for Christ. And yet, in my fellowship, there are precious little resources allocated to church planting.
   
   There are many reasons that this great evangelistic "method" is not used and supported as it should be, including a lack of central planning/coordination, fear of losing any members or resources, shrinking budgets, lack of awareness, fear of partnering with other organizations/fellowships in any way, and fear of a new plant being "different" than the partnering church.
   
   These fears must be done away with in order to use what is one of the most effective evangelistic methods that there currently is. Churches need to draw upon the help of and support church planting groups (in our fellowship, Kairos Church Planting, Mission Alive, and Genesis Alliance Latino Church Planting).

What do you think of these startling statistics on the rise of the "nones" in the US? What do you think we should do in response to this? 

[Darryl Willis]

One other thought about inventories--they also define what is meant by the term rather than using a biblical definition. In one very popular inventory the "gift of evangelism" is identified as someone who seems to be more similar to an overly extroverted used car salesman. As if evangelism itself is to be equated to sales.

I have a huge problem with that.

[Darryl Willis]

I have a somewhat different view on spiritual gifts in general.

I don't buy into the "spiritual gifts inventories" that have been so popular since the 80s. They are merely a pop-psychological tool that basically takes a look at one's personal "bent". A non-believer could take these inventories and score on them!

I believe we are gifted as God calls us to serve.

It may be that I am gifted at a particular moment in time because I am needed in that place and spot. Most inventories focus on what a person likes and enjoys. But I've known men who were called to serve in an area they had absolutely no interest in nor were they particularly skilled--but when they stepped up to the plate they became what was needed and actually served very well.

Can God sanctify natural abilities and talents? No question about it. And I'm not going to pigeonhole God and tell him what he can and can't do! But I think we've placed way too much emphasis on discovering gifts (which interestingly enough, Paul doesn't encourage people to find out what their gifts are--he assumes they already know--and without an inventory!--he does tell some to eagerly desire to have the greater gifts...what is the ramification of that? They evidently don't have them, but they should desire them...)

Sorry to blather. 

By the bye, I do agree that there should be a focus on evangelism--but I think that comes not from just putting money in a ministry called evangelism. That comes from a dedicated leadership who are first modeling it, secondly publicly encouraging it, and thirdly holding ministry leaders accountable to make their ministries intentionally evangelistic. What that looks like will vary from place to place.

[James Nored]

Excellent! Thanks, Stan. 

Would you be willing to share your "Funnel of Consideration" here? Thanks for all that you do!

[sgranberg]

Churches need to develop a multiple-approach strategy that connects to people that have some connection to the church that combines with what I call the "Funnel of Consideration" that leads people to the event through which they can encounter Jesus and make an informed decision about his Lordship.

[James Nored]

Hi Darryl! I would agree that the whole budget needs to be retooled towards evangelism and mission and looked through from that filter. I had that through flicker out to me while writing this post. I think that there is much to be said for this thought, and I agree with it.

However, despite a missional church understanding, there is still the danger that "if everything is mission, nothing is mission." That is, there are some things that are so fundamentally front line in evangelism and mission that it is good to highlight them/budgetize them. Else, it would be easy for a church to just say, well, we have children's ministry, worship ministry, etc. and these are all evangelistic. That's all we need to do. 

Still, I get the point and am sympathetic to it. I might have some different thoughts on the gift of evangelism . . . . . :)

[Darryl Willis]

I've been following this off and on for a little. I think your on the right track but let me suggest a revision of implication 1: "A higher percentage of church budgets needs to be allocated towards local evangelism that goes beyond just meeting physical needs."

Actually, I think instead of a distinctive "local evangelism" budget or an increase in said line item--every ministry of the local congregation should be re-tooled to be evangelistic. Our small group program, Sunday Schools, social-concern-justice ministries, youth ministry, children's ministry, senior saints, etc. should all be retooled to be engaged evangelistically. If evangelism is relegated to a "evangelism ministry" then I think we've missed something. It relegates "evangelism" to those "gifted" or those who are part of that "ministry". 

This division of evangelism from everything else, in my opinion, is part of the problem.

The truth is, while there is a role of "evangelist" there is no "gift of evangelism". (In fact the "evangelist" is to train the church--Ephesians 4 for works of service). If spiritual gifts are, as popular inventories suggest, part of our personality then the question is not "Do I have a gift for this" but "How do I use my gift to evangelize?" (If my gift is "pastor-teacher" how do I use that giftedness for "goodnews-ing"?)

This creates a wholistic approach rather than a compartmentalization of evangelism.

Just some thoughts.